Too Good To Go app helps Waikato cafes cut food waste and costs

Ayla Purves, of Ōhaupō, runs the Sweet Beans cart in Tamahere, which is registered on the Too Good To Go app. Photo / Malisha Kumar

Opening a cafe was a dream come true for one Waikato woman, but keeping the amount of food waste low proved challenging.

After six months of owning Sweet Beans in Tamahere, Ayla Purves came across a food rescue app that allows users to buy discounted unsold food that would otherwise go to waste.

The Hamilton launch marks the final phase of the nationwide rollout of international surplus app Too Good To Go, which says it has already helped save more than 77,000 meals across New Zealand since October.

The concept is simple: bakeries, cafes, restaurants and supermarkets register on the app, and users can buy “surprise bags” from them, often for as little as $8, to collect at a set time.

About $3 billion worth of food is wasted in Aotearoa annually.

Purves, 32, told the Waikato Herald she sold surprise bags, containing unsold food worth about $15, for $4.99.

The items could range from muffins and cookies to pies and scones.

Surprise Bags give customers access to quality food that would otherwise go to waste.

Purves has owned Sweet Beans since September last year and registered on the app in April.

She believes Tamahere is a “high-earning” place, but said the app provided access to a “different group” of people.

The best customer interaction she had was with a single mother, who said the surprise bags were the “best part” of the week for her and her son.

She said the mum told her: “It’s the only time that we can afford to have a takeout treat, and we go to the park and eat it together.”

Purves considers herself “very passionate” about food waste. At a former job, she saw large amounts of food wasted every day.

She knew then that her next job would involve reducing waste, so once she opened Sweet Beans, she looked for ways to do so.

Ayla Purves is "super passionate" about reducing food waste. Photo / Malisha Kumar

There were times during the day when she knew not to make any more food, but she still left with end-of-day waste.

Since joining Too Good To Go, she believes less food has been trashed.

“I am super passionate about food waste.

“It’s been a good step for me, moving to a platform that focuses on sustainability and food waste.”

Other Waikato businesses registered

In Hamilton, Jesters Pies, Muffin Break and Katsubi have registered on the app.

Across the Waikato, Cafe Luv in Huntly, Number Three Cafe in Te Awamutu, and Bakers Delight in Taupō have signed up.

Scott Randles, national area manager for Bakers Delight, said managing end-of-day product had always been a “consistent focus”.

The organisation’s daily leftovers had “traditionally” supported local charities, and would continue to do so with the app.

“[The app] complements this by giving franchisees a way to recover some of those costs, while attracting new customers to try our products.”

Randles said there was a demand for the app in Taupō.

“Overall, it’s a really positive balance, supporting the community and reducing waste.”

Too Good To Go New Zealand country director Joost Rietveld says Kiwi uptake has been strong from day one.

High demand in NZ and Australia

The app was founded in 2015 in Copenhagen by entrepreneurs who set out to find a solution for the “massive amounts” of food waste in Denmark.

It has since expanded to 20 countries across Europe, North America and Australia.

Since launching in New Zealand, about 77,000 surprise bags have been sold nationwide.

There are 450 businesses registered and about 84,000 app users so far.

Too Good to Go New Zealand country director Joost Rietveld said the app launch came at a “critical time” for Kiwis, with food prices up 4.5% annually.

Demand for the app in Australia and New Zealand was high.

“If I compare both those countries with the other countries that we operate in, in the world, then those two are operating higher.

“I guess the solution that they see in this very easy-to-use aspect [is] to influence their food budget.”

He said the planet was a “big winner” when food wasn’t wasted.

Malisha Kumar is a multimedia journalist based in Hamilton. She joined the Waikato Herald in 2023 after working for Radio 1XX in Whakatāne.